I am used to aircraft finishes which are definitely dull/flat. Don't want any glints, etc.
I had automatically assumed ship camo paints would be the same. Then it occured to me: the sea surface is nothing but glints!! So maybe all that gray -sorry- grey paint is actually gloss or semi-gloss (until it weathers, of course).

Does anybody actually know what past or present specs call for?

Wes

(CATIA doesn't seem to allow for mixed finishes, say a semigloss hull, and a very dull wooden deck, as the flat/gloss balance is determined by the lighting choice)

I would classify the paints used today in the USN as semi-gloss - God knows I've applied many gallons of it in my time!

As for shiny things, sailors sort of have an affinity for polished brass and bronze - even on the weather decks. Usually these are small things (i.e. switch covers, turnbuckles, plate covers, etc.), so it's not like the ship becomes a great gleaming beacon.

Here's an example from the ship I was on (no - that's not me):

Notice the gloss and very slight diffused reflections on the bulkhead.

Here's another example:

In this one you can see the gloss on the drain, pipe, and light fixture. You can also detect a very slight texture to this surface, which is in the paint.

The next shot probably illustrates the glossiness of the paint the best:

By the way, the hand brake wheels and the covers bolted onto the capstans were brass and since the CO could see them quite well from the bridge, you can be certain they were always polished!